The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group

For the bishop and priests of the Raleigh, NC Diocese.

Devotions

"The Church can be persecuted, She can be weakened, but She cannot be destroyed. She will always come back with a greater strength.
During the French Revolution: this is a rather remarkable blessed here, he has not been canonized yet I think: Blessed Noel Pinot. Most people have never heard of him! He was born in 1747, he became a priest, a parish priest. In 1788, everything was still thought to be peaceful. The revolution did not really happened overnight but no one thought of it in 1788! Few people did! He was made an abbé, a pastor. In 1789, the Revolution came. In 1790, there was the Civil Constitution of the Clergy which was directly attacking the Church. He, like other priests, had to take the oath for which he was imprisoned, he was not allowed to function at all, then there were a reaction, he was free for a while, and then again under oppression. He went around saying Mass in private, visiting the sick, anointing people, baptizing. But finally, he was caught. He was betrayed, as so often happens, by someone to whom he had shown great kindness. He was arrested in his Mass vestments, put in prison for 12 days, roughly treated. At the end of the 12 days, he was asked to take the oath again, he refused, and was sentenced to the guillotine. He went to the guillotine still wearing his Mass vestments. On the way, he said those words: the old beginning prayers said at the foot of the altar, "Introibo ad altare Dei. Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam". ( I will go to the altar of God. To God, the joy of my youth!) He was going to offer his last sacrifice, the sacrifice of himself."

Blessed Noel Pinot, who shared in the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus, the Sovereign Priest,
deign to show us, your servants, the power of your intercession.

Enlighten and strengthen priests; render them, like you, invincible in their defense of the Faith.

Foster priestly and religious vocations in our parishes;
fill those aspiring to the priesthood and the religious life with an ardent zeal.

Obtain for the faithful the grace to better know and practice their religion.

Ensure that families are faithful in carrying out their duties and grant that they be humble and respectful towards their pastors.

Preserve children and the youth from the many perils which threaten their beliefs and virtues; undo the plots of those who wish to tear them away from the maternal bosom of the Church.

As you did during your life, aid the sick and the infirm; strengthen those who suffer and struggle.

Finally, bless and crown with success the apostolic labors of the ministers of Christ and of all the Church militant, with the aim of restoring to our dear France the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.